122 THE OAK 



of the tree i.e. - so far as it goes. It should bo 

 borne in mind that the bud-scales are stipules. 



The male inflorescences hang down from between 

 the bud-scales as simple catkin-like spikes, each bear- 

 ing about a dozen flowers. Each male flower springs 



FIG. 31. A sprig of oak in May, with the pendent male 

 catkins below, and the minute spikes of female flowers 

 just showing above. (Th. Hartig.) 



from the axil of a tiny scale-like bract, and consists of 

 a shallow perianth, unequally divided into about five to 

 seven small linear-lanceolate lobes, enclosing about five 

 to twelve stamens ; there is no trace of an ovary. The 

 number of lobes of the perianth varies, as also docs the 



